Post-locking mechanism for loose-leaf binders



Nov. 24, 1925- H. D. FIELD POST LOCKING MECHANISM FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS Filed Aug. 1, 24

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Paieaieil Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITE era HERBERT DEXTER FIELD, OF PASO, TEXAS.

POST-LOCKING MECHANISM FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS.

Application filed August a, 1924. Serial 1%. 729,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HERBERT l). FIELD, citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Post-Locking Mechanism for Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a speci fication;

This invention has refer-ence to loose leaf binders, and is particularly adapted to be used on record or minute books, where it is desired to temporarily lock and unlock the posts during the process of filling the book with typewritten records, and to permanently lock the same when the book has been completed.

The invention is particularly useful and desirable in connection with loose leaf rec- 0rd books in county, State or other government offices where record books, after being filled, are made accessible as books of reference for the general public. At the present time, the officers of States, counties or cities, who are responsible for the records, use

a bound or loose leaf record book in which the original documents are copied as filed, the loose leaf book being more desirable as it permits the use of an ordinary typewriter in copying. When the loose leaf book completed, it is necessary to lock the leaves in the book in such a manner that neither the officer nor the official employees, nor the general public can remove or insert a page without destroying it, or mutilating the binding of the book.

The general object of the invention is to a provide an improved device ofthis nature, which will be simple in its construction, in expensive to manufacture, and easy to n1anipulate.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved locking device, which may be attached. to and used in connection with the standard metal parts now ordinarily used in record and minute book construction. When used as atemporary binder, the posts may be locked and unlocked as many times as desired, after which they are permanently locked with all of the tempo r i rary mechanlsm out of sight, and they can not be again unlocked without complete and visible mutilation of the binder as a whole, as well as to the individual locking mechanism in particular.

The detailed cons 'ruction of the invention will be best understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention in its preferred form.

Inthe drawing:

Figure l is a plan View of the invention and a portion of the binder with which it is used, the parts being in unlocked position with a portion of the metallic face plate broken away in order to better illustrate the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view, showing the parts in temporarily locked position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the parts in a permanently locked position.

Figure t is a sectional view through the back of the book equipped with the invention, the leaves and inside lining of the coversbeing omitted.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a section'taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line 88 of Figure 3.

The invention is shown in connection with the binder board or cover .10, forming the back and sides of the book, and suitably formed to receive flat metallic strips 11, which extend the full length of the covers, and are secured thereto by any suitable means. The inner edge of each strip ll has a rolled edge 12, adapted to slidably receive a number of locking pins 13, notches 1% being provided. to receive the ends of the posts 15, which are provided with eyes 16 adapted to receive the respective pins 13, thus forming a hinged connection between the strip 11 and the post on which the leaves are held.

A second .metallic'strip 17 is secured by it may be easily separated therefrom. when desired. This knob projects above the strip 11, and is guided by a slot 2 formed therc in. hen the knob 23 is'moved to one end of the slot, the correspondii pin unlocks the end of the post 15, so that loose leaves may be placed on or removed from the binder, as shown in Fi re 1. il hen "he knob 22 is moved to the other end of the slot, the pin 13 passes through the end of the post 15, and the leaves are locked thereon.

A tongue 24: is struck inwardly from the depressed strip portion 18 into the path of a corresponding tongue 25 struck from the plate 20. When the parts are temporarily locked, these tongues are adjacent each other, as shown in Figures 2 and 7. In this position the parts may be easily unlocked by moving the knob 22 to the other end of the slot 23. When it is desirable to form a permanent binding, however, the knob 22 is detached and may be thrown away. The end of the plate 20 is then visible through the slot 23. By the use of a small screw driver, or similar instrument, the plate 20 is pushed out of sight, and the tongue 25 moves past the tongue 24, the metal of which they are formed being su'lliciently resilient to easily permit this movement. The tongues then spring back into position, so as to form a permanent lock as shown in Figures 3 and S. The plate 20 is now no longer visible through the slot 23, and the intcrengagcment of the tongues and 25 prevents the locking pin 13 from being again withdrawn from the post 15 without completely destroying the binding of the book, as well as the lockin mechanism.

The locking mechanism, which constitutes be subject matter of the invention is ca we of being applied to any of the usual. it les of record or minute books, without any material. alteration in the construction (it the latter. It is so simple and inexpensive that it may be economically applied to each end of each post, thereby making v ry easy to lock or unlock each post individually as new pages are added, instead of having all looking parts of one side connected and operated in unison, and making it necessary to have all posts in line at the same time, which is quite diiiicult with only lit two hands to work with. When the book has been permanently locked, there are no visible parts in sight with which to experi ment.

While I have shown and described the preferred construction of the invention, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the structural details thereof without departing from the essential principles thereof. It is my purpose, therefore, to include all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a strip forming a runway, a binding post adapted to be locked to said strip, a member slidable in said runway and having a locking pin secured thereto, a knob secured to the slidable member by means of which the latter may be moved to bring the pin into and out of temporary locking relation to the post, said strip having a slot through which the stem of the knob projects and which limits the movement thereof, said locking member being movable beyond said limit, when the knob is removed, into a permanent concealed locking position.

2. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a binding post, a locking member thereor, a removable knob by means of which said member is moved into or out of temporary locking relation to the post, a metallic strip beneath which the locking member is guided and having a slot through which the stem of said knob projects, the engagement of said stem with the end of the slot acting to limit the movement of the locking member, said member being movable into an extreme position beyond its temporary locking position only when the knob is removed, and means automatically operable when said member. is moved to its extreme position to positively prevent its return to unlocked position.

in a loose leaf binder, the combination of a strip forming a runway, a binding post, a member slidable in said runway and having a pin secured thereto and movable therewith into and out of temporary locking reation to said post, a removable knob secured 0 said member, said runway having a slot hrough which the stem of the member pro- .eis and which limits the movement thereof, said locking member being movable into an extreme position beyond said temporary locking position only when said knob is removed, and concealed co-engaging spring tongues on the runway and slidable member respectively to prevent a return movement of the slidable member from its extreme position, whereby the post is permanently locked.

at. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a strip forming a runway, a binding post,

a locking member guided in said runway into and out of temporary looking relation to said post when said member is moved back and forth, said strip having a longitudinal slot therein and removable means on said locking member and projecting into said slot to limit the movement of said locking member, the latter being movable into a permanent concealed locking position when the limiting means is removed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

HERBERT DEXTER FIELD. 

